The X-Files Factor

22/03/2012

We all want to believe. We want to believe that we are not the only planet with intelligent sentient life. Actually, I not so much want to believe that but hope beyond hope there is other intelligent sentient life elsewhere as otherwise that just leaves us and that’s a really terrible thought. We want to believe that when pushed to it, humans can find it in themselves to do the right thing when they have to. We want to believe that maybe there is truth in Clive Palmer’s allegations of CIA involvement! And it seems the majority of those polled want to believe Tony Abbott will make a good prime minister.

The problem with such fanciful thinking is facts. You see the biggest problem in regards to wanting for there to be other intelligent sentient life elsewhere is the fact that they, luckily for them, will be extremely unlikely to ever meet us! Space is a damn big thing. And its growing meaning other galaxies that may contain life are either moving away from our galaxy more and more every second, or hurling at us in such a manner as to cause collision of our galaxy with their’s. Hardly a nice how do you do. The other thing is it takes a very long time to travel in space. Thirty odd years just to leave our solar system.

Still, its nicer to think about faster then light travel and galaxies that stay where they are, but that is just not a fact. I am afraid people, we are just going to have to bite the bullet and learn to live with each other.

I love a good conspiracy story! I really do! I’ve heard it all from ultra secret organisations that send operatives on missions and then send other operatives to kill them and then other operatives to kill those operatives and then operatives that kill the person in charge. You see, that way, it’s kept all secret. Never mind the issue about people going missing as the CIA has already ‘killed’ them according to the records etc etc etc etc.

The biggest problem to any major scale conspiracy is the fact that we are humans. That means we include a high possibility of fucking up into any espionage operation. Humans are built for failure. Its why we have two kidneys. So the idea that any secret stuff can remain secret for too long is a bit comical. Still, we do love our James Bond films.

And finally. The idea that Tony Abbott has what it takes to be a good prime minister also fades daily. For the fiftieth time, Abbott attempted to suspend standing orders. And for the fiftieth time, he failed. This is not a good sign. Albert Einstein, that bugger who proposed the theory that pretty much means we will not be treking through the stars anytime now, once said this.

“Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results”

I don’t know about you, but I can not see anything in Abbott’s strategy other then yet another suspension of standing order doomed to fail. If he is not prepared to try something different, then it is time his party did. Time for the coalition to do something new.